Causes of numbness in the middle toe. Causes of numbness in toes. If the little toe on the left and right foot goes numb

The toes go numb when a nerve is pinched or blood flow in the tissue is impaired due to an uncomfortable posture, tight shoes or injury. Loss of sensation in the lower extremities is a symptom of radiculitis, lumbar osteochondrosis, alcohol intoxication or diabetes. When the discomfort quickly passes and does not return, there is nothing to worry about. If numbness bothers you regularly and other unpleasant signs are added, go to the doctor.

In this article we will look in detail at why your toes go numb and how you can get rid of this unpleasant sensation. The information is for informational purposes only and does not constitute instructions for action. In some cases, only a doctor will help - do not neglect a visit to a specialist.

We are looking for the reason in lifestyle, shoes and habits

Due to an uncomfortable position (legs under you, legs crossed), the nerve is pinched, blood flow to the fingers is disrupted - sensitivity is lost, tingling and goosebumps appear. Sometimes it hurts to step on your foot. But the discomfort goes away after changing the position, rotating the foot, and moving the fingers.

In tight, narrow shoes, the foot is constantly compressed. And with prolonged walking, a slight swelling appears, which aggravates the situation. Blood circulation is disrupted - the legs ache, ache, swell and go numb.

Calluses are dense, dry patches of dead skin cells. Sensitivity to touch is weak, but when walking it burns and hurts. Most often, calluses cause the big toe to go numb.

Due to any injury (be it a fracture or bruise), the nerve endings are damaged. While it is healing, it hurts, burns, and limits movement. And subsequently, numbness may appear - the toe periodically goes numb.

Toxic substances (poisons) regularly entering the body slowly but surely destroy blood vessels. Nicotine narrows the lumen, and alcohol thins the walls. For this reason, fingers, entire limbs, and other parts of the body become numb.

Big exercise stress on the legs leads to fatigue, paresthesia, pain.

The reasons are inside

The cause of numbness in the toes may be hidden in a serious pathology. Human body– a single whole: a pinched nerve, damage to a vessel in one place is reflected in discomfort in completely different areas.

If the foot of the left leg becomes numb, it does not mean that damage should be looked for in this limb.

What disease is associated with numbness in the feet and fingers?

Risk factor for limb paresthesia – pregnancy. This is not a pathological condition, so we will not include it in the general table.

The enlarging uterus and growing fetus compress the nerve roots - conduction between the fibers is disrupted. At the same time, blood circulation in the extremities deteriorates - during pregnancy, the fingers become numb and cold.

How to help yourself

Constantly recurring discomfort is a reason to consult a doctor for qualified examination and treatment. But when your leg is twisted and constrained here and now, something urgently needs to be done.

What to do if your fingers go numb:

Take a comfortable position, move your foot up and down, left and right. Make circular movements in one direction, then in the other. The simplest exercise will help speed up the blood.

Soak your feet in a warm bath with pine extract(if there is no allergy). Relax, sit for 5-10 minutes.

Dry each foot with a soft towel and massage thoroughly. Rub each finger alternately, using circular movements from base to tip. Work your entire foot with force, bottom part and top.

If you experience regular discomfort, perform these manipulations every evening.

• Choose comfortable shoes made from natural materials with low heels. Best time for shopping - evening.
• Maintain a balance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in your diet.
• Take multivitamin complexes.
• Give up bad habits (poisons cause vasospasm).
• Strengthen the muscles in your legs and feet through physical activity.
• In summer, walk barefoot on grass and sand more often. And in winter - on a massage mat.

Place a bowl of peas or beans on the floor. Nearby is an empty bowl. Using your fingers, pick up the beans from one bowl and transfer them to another. First we work on the toes on the left foot, then on the right. Do this simple exercise regularly to keep your blood flowing.

Folk recipes

Proven recipes will help eliminate constant discomfort. There is numbness in the toes - treatment folk remedies to help:

1. Take a hot bath, rub your feet and apply camphor ointment to your numb toes. Put on your socks and go to bed.
2. Brew firmly Linden blossom. Add the decoction to a hot foot bath.
3. Treat your feet with liquid honey. Cover with film. On top are socks. Leave for a couple of hours.
4. To strengthen blood vessels, you need to do contrasting foot baths.

Remember: prevention is always better than cure.

If discomfort is quickly relieved with simple exercises and self-massage techniques, then the cause of numbness is external (uncomfortable posture, incorrect shoes, physical fatigue). If paresthesia returns again and again, accompanied by pain, burning, tingling, run to the doctor.

Numbness in the toes is scientifically called paresthesia. This phenomenon is associated with impaired nerve conduction in the limbs, and can be short-term or long-term.

The sensitivity of the limbs can be impaired by factors that are in no way related to pathologies.

These include:

1. uncomfortable position (for example, squatting);
2. hypothermia;
3. wearing tight, narrow or high shoes for a long time;
4. not enough good nutrition, in particular, lack of vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium;
5. excessive drinking or smoking (impairs blood flow);
6. insufficient physical activity, sedentary work;
7. stressful situations, nervous overstrain;
8. muscle fatigue due to excessive physical activity.

These and similar reasons Numbness in the toes is usually short-term. To prevent them, it is enough to follow preventive measures, and elimination does not require long and complex treatment.

ATTENTION! If the fingers of the lower extremities go numb often for a long time, and the reasons listed above are absent, you should urgently consult a general practitioner.

Other factors that lead to paresthesia of the toes require seeing a doctor, serious examination and undergoing complex therapy. Among them are diseases such as:

• osteochondrosis;
• tumor formations in the spine;
• atherosclerosis;
• diabetes;
• spinal tuberculosis;
• polyneuropathy;
• microstroke;
• gout;
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• infectious processes in the body;
• arthrosis and many other pathologies.

Numbness can be observed during pregnancy, but after childbirth it goes away on its own. In addition, in some cases it is a consequence of chemotherapy. Exists a large number of other reasons causing paresthesia of the lower extremities, which can only be identified by a specialist.

Symptoms of the disease

If your toes go numb, then this is a symptom of impaired innervation and/or blood supply. It may be accompanied by other manifestations, for example: pain, redness, tingling, swelling. You should definitely pay attention to a number of other accompanying symptoms. They may be evidence of a disease, which will allow the doctor to quickly diagnose correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment:

1. A feeling of numbness, accompanied by goosebumps, dizziness, and weakness may indicate vitamin B12 hypovitaminosis. In addition, increased irritability and tinnitus may occur.
2. A herniated disc leads to disruption of the conduction of nerve impulses. It often manifests itself as numbness thumbs followed by pain.
3. With endarteritis (narrowing of the arteries), the toes of both feet go numb. A characteristic feature is increased chilliness of the extremities. If the vessel is completely blocked, gangrene occurs.
4. In addition to loss of sensitivity, atherosclerosis is characterized by severe pallor of the skin on the fingers. My feet are cold all the time and don’t get warm.
5. In diabetes mellitus, after the numbness goes away, a feeling of cold occurs. After which the cold is replaced by a burning sensation, tingling, possibly with pain.
6. Osteochondrosis manifests itself mainly in the toes of the right foot. Associated symptoms: muscle weakness and flabbiness, goosebumps, pain.
7. When varicose veins veins, in addition to numbness of the toes, there is a feeling of heaviness, swelling in the limbs, and night cramps.
8. Neuroma ( benign tumor) gradually spreads from the toes to other parts of the legs, causing pain when walking.
9. With neuropathy, there is a feeling of tightness in the fingers, with the average being numbness. In addition, the disease is characterized by: severe pain, itching, burning in the legs.
10. If a nerve is pinched, numbness and other symptoms will appear on the affected side. Additional signs V in this case will be: chilliness, increased secretion sweat, loss of balance while walking.

Thus, if numbness does not go away for a long time, and is also accompanied by other symptoms, you should urgently consult a specialist.

Diagnostics

To find out why your toes are numb, you will first need to visit a general practitioner. After collecting anamnesis, he will prescribe laboratory and instrumental examinations. Besides general analyzes blood and urine, it is possible to prescribe such diagnostic procedures, How:

• blood biochemistry;
• ultrasonography vessels of the lower extremities;
• radiography;
• angiography;
• CT or MRI;
• rheumatic tests and a number of other, more specific ones, for example, analysis of tumor markers or electroneuromyography.

If necessary, the patient is referred to specialized specialists: phlebologist, rheumatologist, endocrinologist, and so on. A detailed examination makes it possible to identify credible reason violations and draw up the correct treatment plan.

Treatment methods

When the doctor finds out the real reason To determine why the toes are numb, the patient is prescribed appropriate treatment. It is aimed at eliminating not only the symptoms, but also the immediate disease that caused the numbness. In addition to application medicines, complex therapeutic measures includes:

1. physiotherapy;
2. massage;
3. physical therapy;
4. folk remedies.

In addition, you will need to follow a certain diet and reconsider your lifestyle.

Medications

For numbness in the toes, it is possible to prescribe the following groups of drugs:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to eliminate pain, swelling, redness;
• muscle relaxants for muscle relaxation;
• funds aimed at normalizing work of cardio-vascular system, strengthening the walls of blood vessels;
• vitamin and mineral complexes to restore activity nerve endings.

Depending on the identified pathology that caused the numbness, other medications may be prescribed.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapeutic treatment methods are prescribed simultaneously with medication, if this is permissible for the identified disease. Physiotherapy improves blood flow and improves tone muscle tissue and vessels. For numbness in the toes, the following procedures are used.

1. Electrophoresis. Widely used in neurological practice. Improves the conductivity of nerve impulses, effectively eliminates the symptoms associated with numbness. This result is achieved due to the deep penetration of drugs directly into the damaged area.
2. Laser therapy. Starts restoration processes in all tissues.
3. Magnetotherapy. Helps eliminate pain syndrome, restoration muscle tone and nerve conduction. Positively affects the cardiovascular system.

Thermotherapy is highly effective for numbness in the toes. Alternating heat and cold eliminates swelling, pain, cramps, and inflammation. This procedure helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

ON A NOTE! Currently, you can purchase a magnetic or laser device for home use. But apply it in medicinal purposes only after consultation with a doctor.

Massage

For some diseases, massage is contraindicated (for example, gout during an exacerbation). In other cases, it must be included in the complex of treatment measures. The procedure has the following effects on the toes:

• restores blood circulation;
• improves tissue nutrition and oxygen saturation;
• promotes more complete intake medicinal substances into damaged tissues;
• eliminates pain;
• relieves muscle and vascular spasms;
• normalizes the conduction of nerve impulses.

In addition, it can act as the only therapeutic method if the cause of the disorder is shoes or excessive stress.

Exercise therapy complex

If your fingers are numb, a specialist may recommend daily practice. special exercises. They are aimed not only at eliminating symptoms at the time of treatment, but also at preventing the occurrence of a similar problem in the future.

The exercises included in the complex are simple. This could be: squeezing and unclenching fingers, picking up objects from the floor, rising and falling on toes, and others. Regular exercises will help strengthen blood vessels, muscles and ligaments of the feet and fingers, normalize blood flow in the lower extremities, and restore skin sensitivity.

ON A NOTE! It is very useful to perform such exercises as a preventive measure every day when working in a job that requires long periods of sitting or standing.

Folk remedies and recipes

For the treatment of numbness in the toes folk medicine use the following means:

1. baths with decoctions medicinal plants(oak bark, conifers, nettle, calamus);
2. infusions for internal use, for example, from lingonberries (a teaspoon of leaves per 300 ml of boiling water);
3. honey compresses (done at night for a week);
4. black pepper oil for grinding (to prepare, infuse a mixture of 0.1 kg of pepper and a liter vegetable oil in a water bath for half an hour).

There are a lot of recipes, so choosing the right one in terms of ingredients and method of application is not difficult.

Dangerous consequences

Numbness not associated with a disease does not in itself pose a threat to human health. For example, if it occurs after wearing tight shoes, then after some time it goes away on its own, without special treatment and consequences. It is dangerous because it can talk about hidden developing pathology, for example, endarteritis, which can result in gangrene.

Another example is problems with the spine, in which numbness in the toes is one of the symptoms. Timely contacting a doctor with a complaint about discomfort in the extremities will help stop the development of diseases such as hernia, osteochondrosis, and malignant tumors.

Doctors often hear questions: “What should I do if my toes go numb, what is the reason for this?” And they answer that there can be many reasons for this problem. Starting from the purchase and use of shoes that are not the right size to dangerous systemic pathologies. In order to find out exactly why numbness in the feet and toes occurs, you need to make an appointment with a therapist.

Numbness (paresthesia) of the tissues of the lower extremities is unpleasant situation which people of all ages periodically encounter age category. The pathology can spread to one or more toes or the entire foot. Additionally, a symptom such as a decrease in the sensitivity of the epidermis may appear. There may be a feeling of discomfort, tingling, coldness or “crawling goosebumps”.

Numb toes: cause and what to do

There may be several reasons for this violation. Let's list the main triggering factors:

1. Temporary numbness of different parts of the lower extremities can occur for mechanical, thermal, or domestic reasons:
   • being in an uncomfortable position;
   • wearing tight shoes;
   • uncomfortable position that a person occupies in a dream;
   • hypothermia;
   • smoking and drinking alcohol.
2. Constant or chronic numbness is a symptom of dangerous disorders in the functioning of organs and systems of the body. The reasons are as follows:
   • Osteochondrosis;
   • Diabetes;
   • Vascular diseases;
   • Multiple sclerosis;
   • Micro stroke.

The toes are going numb, the reason and what to do - you need to consult your doctor about this issue. He will examine the patient and collect medical history data. And will also appoint necessary research for diagnostics.

Loss of sensation in the toes of one of the toes is an unpleasant symptom. Many fear that its cause may be pathology. In some cases, this is a truly dangerous sensation. In this article we will look at the main reasons why the fingers on both limbs at once or only on the right foot go numb. They can be divided into chronic and temporary.

What causes temporary paresthesia?

Paresthesia of the lower extremities is a condition in which the toes become less sensitive. Additional symptoms:

• burning;
• feeling of goosebumps;
• tingling;
• pale skin;
• pain.

This condition is not uncommon. It can be observed as healthy person, and so does the patient. Most often, people who do not have dangerous pathologies, discover temporary paresthesia. It occurs due to mechanical reasons and goes away without a trace as soon as the provoking factor ceases to act. You can feel numbness in your fingers due to the following reasons:

• wearing uncomfortable shoes (most often this results in loss of sensitivity in the little finger);
• uncomfortable sleeping position;
• staying in one position for a long time (for example, tucking only the right limb);
• long stay in the cold;
• destruction of blood vessels due to bad habits (smoking or regular drinking of alcohol).

It is mechanical reasons that most often lead to numbness in the toes of only one foot. The limb that is most often exposed to negative effects suffers. For example, if you tuck your right leg while sitting, your toes will go numb.

When is it necessary to see a doctor?

Everything in the body is interconnected, so a failure in one of its systems can lead to paresthesia. There are several situations in which
you need to consult a doctor:

1. Fingers hurt and go numb for no apparent reason. Before contacting a specialist, it is necessary to exclude possible mechanical problems. For example, walk around in more comfortable shoes for a while.
2. You often lose coordination of movements: you stumble, twist your legs. Also indirect sign there may be unsteadiness in gait.
3. Do you feel additional symptoms: excessive weakness, drowsiness, dizziness, tinnitus.
4. You cannot feel the temperature change with your toes. To confirm this sign, prepare two bowls of water - warm and cool. First dip your toes in cool water, and then - into a warm one. A healthy person will definitely feel the difference.

If you notice these signs in yourself, it is best not to put off visiting a doctor. They may indicate life-threatening pathologies - then it will be too late to contact them. The first place to start is to visit a therapist. When you come to him, he will collect anamnesis, schedule a consultation with a specialist and refer you to additional diagnostics(radiography, tests and other types of research).

The only period when you should not worry about numbness in your toes is pregnancy. The occurrence of a symptom should be reported to your doctor, but in most cases its presence will be explained physiological characteristics female body. Along with the growth of the fetus, the uterus enlarges, which puts pressure on the nerve roots and large vessels. This is what leads to numbness. After childbirth, the symptom of women's legs will be as sensitive as before.

Why does the patient suffer from chronic numbness?

If your fingers go numb almost constantly, and this feeling for a long time does not leave you, then the cause may be illness. The pathology is easy to recognize - it progresses over time: first you lose sensitivity from the little finger to the middle finger, and then this symptom covers the remaining joints. As a rule, the last numbness affects the thumb. The reason for this unpleasant symptom the following diseases may occur:

1. Osteochondrosis lumbar region spine, intervertebral hernia. This is the most common reason paresthesia. During treatment of these pathologies or after surgical intervention you begin to feel your feet again.
2. Nerve damage to the lower extremities due to trauma. In this case, the symptom develops atypically - first the movable thumb, index or ring finger loses sensitivity, while the rest retain their functions in full.
3. Diabetes mellitus of the second degree leads to the first loss of sensation in the feet. Also this disease and other pathologies metabolic processes lead to loss of sensitivity in the fingers.
4. Multiple sclerosis leads to paresis and paralysis. One of the first symptoms that occurs is numbness in the toes.
5. With Raynaud's syndrome, blood circulation in the arteries is disrupted, and small vessels are also affected.
6. Polyneuropathy occurs due to a lack of B vitamins. This disease is characterized by numbness of the toes of only one foot.
7. Launched vascular pathologies lead to complete blockage of blood vessels. If you do not pay attention to the appearance of numbness, gangrene may develop.

Less commonly, this symptom accompanies other diseases: microstroke, spinal tumors, peripheral lesions nervous system, rheumatoid arthritis, transient ischemic attacks.

What to do if your toes often go numb

Self-medication for numbness in the fingers can lead to the loss of a limb or severe deterioration in health. The course of therapy should only be drawn up by doctors. It will depend on the pathology that led to the appearance of the symptom. You can be treated using the following methods:

1. The use of painkillers, anti-inflammatory, vasodilating medications. The therapy has several goals: restores blood supply to the lower extremities and helps deliver nutrients. So that the patient does not suffer from lack of useful components blood, vitamin therapy is used.
2. Surgery if necessary to restore blood supply or functioning of the nervous system.
3. Massage of the lower limbs and back.
4. Physiotherapeutic methods - from electrophoresis to wraps.
5. Non-traditional methods of treatment: acupuncture, hirudotherapy.
6. Taking a course of physical therapy.

As a rule, several methods are used at once. At the insistence of the doctor, a diet (if diabetes mellitus is the cause) or another measure to restore health may be included in the complex. All patients with numbness in the fingers are recommended to purchase comfortable shoes and avoid bad habits, take contrast baths in the evenings and rub relaxing balms into your feet after physical activity.

Sensitivity disturbance is considered a rather formidable symptom and indicates damage to the nervous system, so in order to avoid further progression illness, you need to consult a doctor promptly. It is strictly not recommended to self-medicate numbness. thumb or other parts of the foot, as this can lead to serious complications.

Only a qualified specialist can tell you what to do if your big toe is numb. For help, you should contact a neurologist or orthopedist.

Why does my thumb go numb?

In a healthy person, temperature, tactile and other types of sensitivity should be fully preserved. Typically, sensitivity disorders in the lower extremities occur with pathologies of blood vessels and nerve endings. The most common causes of numbness in the big toe are:

• 1. Osteochondrosis;
• 3. Inflammatory process in the joints;
• 4. Pathologies of blood vessels of the lower extremities;
• 5. Wearing uncomfortable shoes.

Also the cause of numbness of the big toe can be called wearing uncomfortable shoes. This problem is especially common for women who prefer to wear tight shoes with heels. Discomfort and numbness in this case intensify at the end of the day and subside a little in the morning.

To get rid of this unpleasant condition, try walking in comfortable shoes for a few weeks - the sensitivity of your fingers will be completely restored.

If, in addition to numbness, other symptoms bother you, then you should undergo a comprehensive medical examination your body.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine

Disturbances of normal structure and functioning spinal column have a detrimental effect not only on posture and motor activity, but also on the innervation of the whole body. In osteochondrosis of the spine, the pathological process is mainly are involved intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies, serious degenerative and trophic changes occur in them. This leads to disruption normal position intervertebral discs or the occurrence of hernias that compress the nervous apparatus of the spine.

The lumbosacral spine is responsible for the sensitivity of the lower extremities. It is with pathologies of this area that numbness of the thumbs on one or both sides may occur.

If there is a loss of sensation in the big toe against the background of frequent, recurrent pain in the lumbar region, one should suspect the presence of osteochondrosis and consult with an orthopedist or neurologist. Usually, painful sensations radiate to the lower limb, sensitivity disorders and disturbances also appear nervous regulation and normal blood supply to the legs and feet.

Treatment of the disease must be comprehensive, in advanced stages can be used different kinds surgical intervention.

Gout

Many people experience numbness in their big toe due to metabolic disorders. Gout is characterized by metabolic disorders uric acid, which provokes the appearance of certain symptoms.

One of the varieties of the disease is acute gouty arthritis, with this form of gout mainly affecting the joints with the formation of gouty nodes. Especially The joint of the big toes is often affected, joints of the hands and other parts of the body are less often involved in the pathological process.

During an exacerbation gouty arthritis patients experience severe pain, swelling and hyperemia appear above the joint. To diagnose and treat this condition, you should consult a rheumatologist.

Other causes of numbness in big toes

If your big toe is numb, you should also check the condition of the vessels of the lower extremities. The most accessible and informative method- ultrasound examination with angiography. In the presence of chronic venous insufficiency or thrombosis, conservative and surgical treatment is used.

If you notice pain, swelling of the joints in your hands or other parts of the body, then you need to be examined by a rheumatologist to determine the cause of arthritis. In this case, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs are used to treat numbness of the big toe.

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